Chapter 24

From the corner M'lar could see Bartram Plague with the nickname of Black plague rolling his eyes listening to M'lar and the old coot. He was making his own running commentary as the old gentleman moaned about his ghost and finally spoke up loud enough to be heard, "Let me guess attack you?"

M'lar tried desperately to maintain a serious decorum but was struggling to not smile as she listened and affected a look of true concern for his well being. Then looking over at Black frowned, "Excuse me?"

Feeling he had said something about preparing to attack her. She was not very fond of his diatribe that was at this time very insulting to the older gentleman. He saw her look of disappointment and lowered his own gaze, "Sorry it slipped out."

He mumbled. However, the old gent turned and looked over at the young half elf and said, "No."

Black in turned looked surprise and said "Oh?

In that moment she began to look for a weapon or a means to protect the poor demented man and her self. She was becoming upset and growing desperate for a staff, or instrument of bludgeoning.

She listened as the old one began to speak of what had brought about the deaths of the other three paladins. "We went to kill a red dragon in honorable combat. I was the clever one."

Standing and watching Black knowing he had a penchant for a volatile outburst and he might try to harm the old man she locked her fingers around the neck of a bottle under the bar. He might be an old coot and he may be haunted but she would be damned if anyone was going to hurt him least of all Black and his twisted idea of right and wrong.

"Clever one how do you figure you was the clever one?" Black persisted to bait the old gent.

"Well when the fighting started I ran away. " M'lar had to think about it and she saw he was looking at her, "Ask lass I can see you are wantin tae."

M'lar spoke softly, "Well why did you run?"

She saw Black rising and moving towards the bar so her hand tensed around the neck of the bottle and she waited to see what he was going to do. He then sighed deeply and stated quite simply, "Because I was scared."

M'lar continued to watch Black walk away from them and stand at the end of the bar. "Well golly there is no shame in that, geeze and now these men, which are who? Were they your comrades or perhaps your partners?"

Another snort then he sat up and lifted the bottle and drank deeply again and this time gave out a satisfied sigh. Speaking harshly "Well now whose a ghost and whose is not."

Rolling her eyes, M'lar spoke reassuringly, "Yes, yes of course they now hunt you for your perceived cowardice?"

His response was to the turn to the empty stool on his right. "Yes, you fought bravely and died like fleas on a drowning dog. You know as well as I do that I would have died there too."

M'lar nodded and then relaxed her grip on the neck of the bottle and spoke softly, "So they haunt you now because you deserted them and left them there to die. So now your partners are haunting you."

She noted he no longer was paying attention to what she had said and lowered her gaze thinking about what he had just told them. Then she heard his soft voice caressing her with its tenderness. "Yes, lass they haunt me now"

Smiling she moved to lift the washcloth to wipe down the bar top and to see if Black needed anything. "Black do you need anything else?"

"Aye another ale if you please malady." Giving him a refill on his ale, she took the coin and placed it in the cash box. Moving back down to stand in front of the old gentleman.

Black finally getting an understanding of what they were speaking of mumbled again, "A red dragon? What the hell was wrong with them?"

In response to Black's question, the old man turned to put his ageless gaze on the young half elf and spoke to no on in particular but answered his question. "Paladins have no common sense to run when you should and live to fight another day."

M'lar sighed and then nodded, "Paladins, oh they were paladins? No wonder." She moved the cloth over the bar top and glanced up to Black noting he was digesting what the old man had said, then he began to posture his own thoughts about Paladins, "They won't sneak up on an enemy and won't run when they can't win a fight, that is why they die young."

M'lar nodded and sighed thinking of the paladins she had met and responded with a tender softness to her own voice, "Like Psionist they are wound too tight." This caught the old man's attention and he studied her.

Black then interjected his own thoughts, "But they fight for honor."

Which caused the old man to roll his eyes. Then he snapped out, "Yes, I can heal!" She stood perfectly still her head tilted slightly as he had another eternal argument with the ghosts that plagued him. "Yes I can turn undead to dust! So what if my armor is rusty and don't fit me well?"

She studied his armor and thought that it would not take much to polish it and make it shine, take the rust off and give him a proper look and the lathing could be expanded to fit his figure a bit better. "Are you a cleric?"

She queried as she continued to study the armor. Then realizing he was watching her and smiling he held that twinkle in his gaze, "I am a paladin initiate."

She smiled her appreciation for his response, "Thank you I did not mean to pry."

He sighed and rolled his eyes and then nodded to his left right and behind him. "These bozos are not going to leave me along until I become like them!"

M'lar muttered, "Paladins, they want you to be all paladin like them?"

He nodded appearing to have made his point. "Yes, and now they are ghosts and I am alive!"

Black now feeling his cups shouted, "See a Priest you old bat."

M'lar frowned and glared over at the rude young man, "Sir, he is seeing a priest I am a cleric and priestess. And for obvious reasons they do not need me!"

Black sipped from his tankard and studied her over the rim of his drink, "I know what you are."

Black turned to the spot the old one was pointing to and watched as the old one swatted at the stool. "See they do not need me, they died in the honor of their god's mercies!"

Black glared at the sot and then o M'lar, "Perhaps he needs a stronger priest." M'lar ignored that slight to her abilities and smiled at the old gent, " I have been remiss, I have not introduced myself to you," wiping her hand on her apron she extended it to the old man. Looking at him since his arrival he almost seemed to have grown younger. " They are not here to harm me or my staff are they? Oh and I am Lady M'lar"

He took her hand gently in his and smiled, "No they are here to harass me." Shaking her hand he smiled noting she had some strength in her hand." I am the not so holy Squire at Arms, Ageis."

He held her hand and then said, "And it's a good thing you told me you were a lady or I might not have noticed." Thinking he thought because she worked in a bar that she was like one of those women from down the street that worked the Golden Dice she flushed deeply.

"Oh my I hope I did not give the impression that I was well um, that I was, one of those types of Ladies and I can assure you I am not!"

He laughed, "Lass relaxed it was a joke, you are definitely all woman from where I am sitting and I could make no mistake about it. Besides at my age who can afford to be picky."

M'lar laughed and shook her head and then said softly, "Your age is not so great dear sir, I am as close to your age and many could be."

She thought of her age and estimated his to be close to the early forties. "Well you are as lovely a lass as I can see even if you are an elf!"

M'lar nearly sputtered, turning to look at her image in the mirror and then back at him, "Well yes I am half elf." She spoke softly and then looked at him seeing a thoughtful expression in his gaze and a knowing smile.

"Do you see me?" She leaned over the bar to place her nose near his and her bony brow close for his inspection. Then she lifted her chin to lock her gaze with him.

"Yes lass I see you just fine." She looked into his eyes and he in turn looked deeply into her eyes and smiled, "I see you just fine and you are beautiful. So I can see you are way too pretty to be an elf."

She laughed and stepped back from him, "Oh ok, well I must have misunderstood you before, when you said for an elf."

He snorted, "Well you are half elf and frankly I find elves rather plain and disappointing in looks."

Then as quickly he snapped out, "Oh right and if I had then the other two would be bitching because I did!"

M'lar blinked and sighed, "Now what is the problem?" She asked shooting her gaze right then left then behind him. Then she noticed that Black had suddenly gotten quite angry and stomped out the front door and was obviously pacing back and forth outside.

She was beginning to find Ageis cute and was rather enjoying her time with him as he sputtered at his ghosts and then seemed lucid and was attempting to romance her. "See Batu told me I should have kissed you when you were close to me."

M'lar chuckled and thought about it and would not have been opposed to a kiss stolen by the poor beleaguered man. "He did? Well tell him thank you." Leaning over the bar she spoke softly as she lets her gaze drift from side to side, "Is he still here?"

Ageis not letting the opportunity get away from him leaned forward and kissed her on the mouth. M'lar feeling shocked that he did kiss her and surprised opened her mouth kissing him back deeply and passionately.

Although stunned by his action, she did not find it offensive just different and rather pleasant with the tenderness he expressed in the kiss. Opening her eyes she saw his own look of surprise as she returned his kiss.

Black paced furiously growing more and more angry over something that he perceived an insult said by Ageis. It might have been the mixture of a rough day and the ale but Ageis had rubbed him the wrong way and he continued to mumble kicking the stones on the walkway. He had about had it with crazy old men haunted by ghosts.

M'lar broke the kiss and stepped back pressing her fingertips to her lips and said softly, "Well are you in trouble?"

Ageis chuckled and shrugged, "I am? Well Thomas and Geoffrey are pissed and I am ignoring them but Batu said good work for both of us!" He laughed out right and she loved the sound of his laughter it was infectious.

So she had to join in with the chuckle. Ageis sighed, "Well they are complaining. But not Batu he is actually rooting for us." And he laughed out right again as this seemed to elicit a response back from Batu and caused great distress for Thomas and Geoffrey.

M'lar flushed and sighed, "Well what could they complain about? And do tell Batu thank you for me."

Then out of the blue he just said it out right. "I don't suppose you would sleep with me tonight, Batu said if you would, he would keep the other two away from me for the rest of the night."

M'lar was floored, "Um sir I am not . . ." He continued as if she had not spoken. "Just think a night without that moaning and groaning and bitching and complaining, I could get a good night's sleep!"

Holding up her hand, she sighed and then thought how she could say this. " A kiss is one thing sir, but well um, sleep?" He smiled and his eyes glowed with an inner light watching her fidget and wondered if he would let her off the hook, "Look lass you don't have to sleep, you can just as easily stay awake, but me it would be so nice to finally get a good nights rest without being haunted."

She looked around and then down and said softly, "If all you wish is to sleep only, then I would . . . "

He chuckled, "It is like I said lass you don't have to sleep, but I will."

The door slammed and Black walked back into the room stomping to a table sitting down in a snit. He frowned and mumbled all the way, eranoa tau goleara Coe." Slumping into his chair he began to do what Gillian did when she did not get her way and that was pout.

She smiled and said softly, "Then I can offer you a clean bed and a nights rest with clean sheets and soft pillows for the night." Ageis swiveled around and growled, "So what? No!" Then he began to moan again, "Oh no! Please no, no. Don't do this." The door opened and M'lar turned to see whom was coming in late and her manner stiffened and she grew distant and cold.

Darrin Summerset waltzed into the room appearing to be looking for someone. M'lar's manner became distant and cold as she waited for him to approach the bar. She could not help the fear that edged her heart or the sudden knot that was now growing in her stomach. She felt like she wanted to wretch. Her knees were trembling and her manner was one of a wounded animal cowering against the security that the bar provided and kept a distance between them.

"Lady M'lar have you seen Lady Kaitlin?"

M'lar struggled to find her voice and spoke abrasively, "She was in the park when I last was there, why do you seek her?"

She asked with a hint of trepidation in her tone. "I loaned her my cloak and wanted to get it back."

M'lar frowned, and then turned to Ageis, "Sorry Lass, Batu withdrew his offer." Surprised that the one ghost that was on their side was now withdrawing his support caused M'lar to question, "Why did Batu withdraw his offer?"

He sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes, "Because he wants me to stay awake and not sleep." To which she responded "Oh, " not quiet sure what that meant and wondering if she was loosing her grip on reality and sliding into the same insanity that was being displayed by Ageis.

"I see, I think? Well if he does not want you to sleep what is he expecting you to do?"

Looking at him curiously she seemed totally oblivious to what he was hinting, "You don't know? Lass where have you been all my life?"

Black showing his anger by the tone of his voice spoke out in a disgruntle tone. "He wants you to stay awake!"

M'lar turned to Black, "Excuse me?" Black still showing his ire with Ageis said rather haughtily, "He wants him to stay awake and that is what he wants from you, if he has to stay awake then you should stay awake."

M'lar thought she was starting to fall into the land of la-la loonies as she listened to Black and Ageis as he argued with his ghosts.

Darrin getting impatient shifted on his feet and interrupted, "Excuse me M'lar but you said you thought she was in the park?"

M'lar sighed and turned a politely cool and formally correct look to the man that had caused her more grief than the entire elven nation. "Yes Mr. Summerset she was waiting for Orion in the park."

He nodded, "I see well if you see her please tell her that I am looking for the return of my cloak she borrowed because she was chilled."

M'lar nodded, "I will see she gets your message sir."

Ageis turned and studied the man with a coolly appraising gaze, "Hello." He looked the man up and down and M'lar got the definite feeling that by the change in Ageis' tone and his demeanor he was doing a long assessment of the man.

Darin nodded to Ageis and said, "Hello."

M'lar sighed, as much as she detested the man she could not see him suffer, "If it a need for a cloak then I could easily allow you to use one of Marstoq's old cloaks its in the back."

She turned to get the cloak and was stopped, "No thank you M'lar. I appreciate your offer but I just want my cloak back."

Ageis leaned negligently on the bar supporting his head with his palm with his elbow bent to support his head and asked, "Then why do you need your cloak, if you are not cold. Shut up, I did not ask you."

He turned his gaze to the left and then the right and then back to Darrin. Darrin returned his gaze and said simply, "Because it is my cloak and I want it back."

Ageis had suddenly became more formal and his irritation was one not with the ghosts that were haunting him but seemed to be directed at Darrin. "Simple enough reason, I don't care what you think, no I won't . . . fine then I am ignoring you for the rest of the night."

Darrin turned one more time to face M'lar and he spoke in a clipped fashion. "Good evening M'lar." Bowing is head to her and then to Ageis he bowed his head and spoke softly, "Good evening sir." And like a scalded dog he moved from the room with a hurried pace.

She watched him leave and frowned deeply and took a deep breath to let it out slowly to calm her shaking knees. "I detest that man."

Ageis looked at her and frowned, "So does Thomas."

Not sure she heard him right she stepped back and said, "Excuse me?"

Ageis turned around and slumped over the glass of whiskey getting a distant look to his features, "He wanted me to rid the world of this blight on the land."

Mlar was not sure she had heard him correctly and spoke softly a part of her thinking deep down he knew something about what had happened between her and Darrin. "That fellow that lost his cloak, Thomas does not like him. Yes?"

He turned to peer over his shoulder and his manner growing more cold and angry.

"Well I can assure you he is no gentleman." M'lar muttered softly as if trying to hide the words under her breath.

"That is what Thomas says." M'lar now more curious than ever turned her gaze to Ageis and asked almost against hope that she was mistaken that the ghosts could not know her shame and asked, "What does Thomas know of him?"

Black so caught up in his imaginary anger stood up and stomped out of the inn slamming the door behind him and moving to lay down in the grass near the inn and look up at the stars muttering about crazy old coots that needed to be locked away.

M'lar ignored Black and waited to hear what Ageis would say. "Thomas says he is a villain and should be put to death, well actually Thomas called him a black hearted scoundrel."

M'lar shot her gaze from left to right and then back to Ageis each passing second bringing her closer to a revelation she was not prepared to face. "Thomas says he done something to you." M'lar felt her fingers fidget and her legs tremble and her face was growing pale by the moment.

Her voice barely audible or known to her as she whispered, "How does he know this?"

Once again, the door opened and this time M'lar's fellow cleric and brother Magnus Wolf walked in, his concern for his sister growing with each passing day watching her twist herself up in knots and loose weight. He had heard rumors she had suffered as no woman should at the hands of a man.

He had been hiding his own self-contained anger at this outrage but could do nothing until she admitted it. He watched her as she stood and studied the bar's counter top with an intensity tha was not normal. The soft voice of the older man in front of her was speaking to her from what seemed to be personal knowledge.

"He is a ghost, he knows these things." M'lar reached for the bottle of whiskey she had selected as her battle axe early lifted it pulled the cork from the bottle and poured herself a strong drink and gulped it down. She coughed from the burn of the liquor and put the back of her hand to her mouth.

In a voice she barely recognized as her own she spoke softly,"Tell him he is wrong."

Ageis looking at her with sadness and compassion said softly, "Then I take it that Thomas is right?"

M'lar felt the sting of tears burn her eyes and she lowered her gaze to the bar, her shame becoming more complete with each passing moment.

"Sister you are worrying me. Glancing to Magnus and then Ageis she lifted the bottle and poured herself another strong drink.

"What about a dagger?" He spoke softly and then glared around the room wildly and shouted, "WHAT!"

M'lar dropped the glass to the floor and felt her world topple she wanted to find a hole and crawl inside. Watching the glass tumble from her hand and appearing to fall in slow motion to shatter on the floor. With the shattering of that glass so did her resolve disappear and she dropped to the floor to look at the broken pieces of glass.

Ageis bellowed, " Idiotic Ghosts! Ye should have told me from the start! All right then the next time I see him, I will skin his sorry ass."

M'lar stood up too upset to try and pick up sharp shards of glass and darted into the kitchen from the worried look of Magnus. In the kitchen she began to pace back and froth in a frenzy.

"How could they know this?" She anguished and then found herself in a near panic and stopped pacing and turned her gaze to the door and the bar. "It was just a lucky guess, get it together M'lar and get out there and clean up your mess."

She shoved trembling fingertips to her hair and brushed it behind her small pointed ears and then turned and moved back out to the bar. Magnus was a handsome man of sylvan heritage with kind blue eyes and a manner so soft and tender. M'lar felt bad for not letting him know her shame. It was her shame to bear alone.

"Sister are aye all right you are really worrying me."

M'lar dropped to the floor to pick up the broken pieces of glass. The more she thought about that night, the more she was growing angry and upset and thrusting her hand down, she found the sharp edge of a particularly nasty piece of glass and jammed her hand against it and cut through to the bone. "Damnit."

She muttered as she felt the bite of the glass and the pain of more than just a deep cut. Tears swam before her eyes and she sniffed.

Ageis looked over his shoulder then to Black. "I don't care he is pissed at me. He can just get over it. I got more pressing matters to address than his assumed hissy fit over something I may have said."

Which because Ageis was not soft spoken and his voice did carry over the bar, the little twerp Black heard him and it sent him off on another tangent of slamming the chair on the floor and stomping over to the door with a harrumph and slamming the door as he went out.

Magnus looked at the boy and then to Ageis, "Seems he knows you don't care if he is pissed."

Ageis ignored Magnus and looked down at the shuddering small body of the woman on the floor and he spoke so tenderly and softly, "Lass?"

She glanced up and found that the tears that surfaced and began to spill forth unable to hold them back blurred her vision. ""Yes Ageis?" Her own voice had become soft and almost indiscernible through her pent up emotions.

"Come here lass, I feel your pain. I will ease it." Feeling her fear swallowing her body and soul and wondering if she could step around the bar, she moved slowly around the bar to come and stand next to him.

She looked down and sighed softly feeling herself disassociated from her body. "It really doesn't hurt any more."

His voice held such tenderness and compassion as he gently took her hand in his and looked at the bleeding wound that was pouring forth blood and soaking her dress and the floor.

She was not sure what it was whether it was from the blood loss or the fact that Ageis held her hand so tenderly and gently in his and the tone of his voice was so comforting that she felt light headed. She watched him concentrate on her hand and exerted the will of the way with little effort to mend the tendon, fuse the sinew and close the wound then regenerate her blood flow to her body.

"I am not talking about your hand." He glanced to Black and frowned deeply, "Sit down boy. Do as you are told." Then she felt the most incredible feeling rush through her body and her mind was filled with such sensations of purifying and cleansing and washing over her.